I get it, there are times in the park when we need to be connected to the outside world. In an ideal world, we’d spend our time in the Kruger completely switched off and totally immersed in the magnificent place we find ourselves in. But the world is far from ideal. Family emergencies, work commitments, parents in need of care, etc often necessitate that we have a line of communication open while we are away.
With that in mind, I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news, is that most restcamps in the Kruger have wifi and/or 3G/4G mobile data access. The bad news, it’s often terrible – slow and at times unusable.
Don’t let that put you off, I have a few solutions to help you be connected while you enjoy the most majestic place on earth.
First, let’s look at the signal availability throughout the park.
Wifi and cellphone signal in the Kruger Park
As you study the table below, please keep in mind, even though a camp may have good wifi and 4G signal, there are times where both wifi and cell data disappear entirely, for days on end at camps that traditionally have excellent signal. This could be due to load shedding, bad weather, damaged electricity cables or a number of other reasons.
If you need to guarantee access to the internet, see the section below on how to always find good signal.
| Camp | Wifi | Wifi Rating | Cellphone Reception | Data (3G/4G) | Data Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balule | No | – | No | – | – |
| Bateleur | No | – | No | – | |
| Berg-n-Dal | Yes | Poor | Yes | 4G (Vodacom, MTN) | Good (Vodacom, MTN) |
| Biyamiti | No | – | – | – | – |
| Boulders Bush Lodge | No | – | – | – | – |
| Crocodile Bridge | No | – | Yes | 3G (Vodacom), Edge (MTN) | Excellent (Vodacom), Poor (MTN) |
| Letaba | Yes | Poor | Yes | 3G (Vodacom, MTN) | Poor (Vodacom), Ok (MTN) |
| Lower Sabie | Yes | Ok | Yes | 3G (Vodacom), Edge (MTN) | Ok (Vodacom), Poor (MTN) |
| Malelane Satellite | No | – | Yes | 3G (Vodacom, MTN) | Good (Vodacom), Excellent (MTN) |
| Maroela | No | – | Yes | 3G (Vodacom, MTN) | Excellent (Vodacom, MTN) |
| Mopani | No | Yes | 3G (Vodacom, MTN) | Poor (Vodacom), Ok (MTN) | |
| Olifants | Yes | Good | Yes | 3G (Vodacom, MTN) | Poor (Vodacom), Ok (MTN) |
| Orpen | No | – | Yes | 3G (Vodacom, MTN) | Excellent (Vodacom), Good (MTN) |
| Pafuri Border Camp | No | – | – | – | – |
| Pretoriuskop | Yes | Poor | Yes | 3G (Vodacom, MTN) | Excellent (Vodacom), Good (MTN) |
| Punda Maria | No | – | Yes | 3G (Vodacom, MTN) | Ok (Vodacom), Good (MTN) |
| Roodewal Bush Lodge | No | – | No | – | – |
| Satara | Yes | Ok | Yes | 3G (Vodacom, MTN) | Ok (Vodacom), Poor (MTN) |
| Shimuwini | No | – | No | – | – |
| Shingwedzi | No | – | Yes | Edge (Vodacom, MTN) | Ok (Vodacom), Poor (MTN) |
| Sirheni | No | – | No | – | – |
| Skukuza | Yes | Ok | Yes | 3G (Vodacom, MTN) | Good (Vodacom, MTN) |
| Talamati | No | – | – | – | – |
| Tamboti | No | – | Yes | Edge (Vodacom), 3G (MTN) | Poor (Vodacom), Excellent (MTN) |
| Tsendze | No | – | No | – | – |
Cellphone signal for phone calls
Making phone calls from your phone inside the Kruger is generally fine, when you are at one of the restcamps. Outside of the restcamps, you are very unlikely to have signal to make phone calls.
Making phone calls with Whatsapp will depend on the 3G or 4G data availability at the restcamp. At camps with good 3G and 4G reception, you will have no issue making calls with Whatsapp.
Wifi speed tests
I continuously conduct wifi speed tests at all the camps in the park. The table below is frequently updated.
Due to a dispute with the wifi provider in Satara, there is currently no wifi internet available in Satara. Vodacom 4G is good inside the restcamp but MTN only works for phone calls.
This is still an issue as of 25 June 2024
| Restcamp | Speed (Down/Up) | Consistency | Last Tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letaba | 0.34mbps / 0.05mbps | Bad | 21 June 2024 |
| Olifants | 11.6mbps / 1.4mpbs | Good | 21 June 2024 |
| Satara | 0mbps / 0mbps | Bad | 25 July 2024 |
3G/4G speed tests
I continuously conduct 3G and 4G speed tests at all the camps in the park. The table below is frequently updated.
For the past 2 years there has been a technical issue with both Vodacom and MTN in the middle to north section of the park. Even though your mobile device will indicate you have good reception, it’s almost impossible to use mobile data. The camps that are effected by this issue are Letaba and Mopani.
This is still an issue as of 23 June 2024
| Restcamp | Network | Connection | Speed (Down/Up) | Consistency | Last Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berg-n-Dal | Vodacom | 4G | 10mbps | Good | 15 December 2022 |
| Letaba | Vodacom | 3G | 0mbps / 0mbps | Bad | 21 June 2024 |
| Mopani | Vodacom | 3G | 0.57mbps / 0mbps | Bad | 17 June 2024 |
| Olifants | Vodacom | 3G | 6.06mbps / 2.03mbps | Good | 21 June 2024 |
| Satara | Vodacom | 4G | 2.76mbps / 6.39mbps | Good | 25 June 2024 |
| Shingwedzi | Vodacom | 3G/4G | 14.8mbps / 6.57mbps | Ok (drops to Edge in certain spots) | 21 June 2024 |
How to always find good signal
If you are in desperate need of signal while you are in the park, there is a way to almost always guarantee that you will get signal. It may take a bit of driving though!
When I urgently need to connect, I take a drive to the closest entrance/exit gate. You will almost always find really good 3G/4G signal at the gate. And if you don’t, you can temporarily exit the gate and drive to the closest town which will also almost always have good signal.
But what if you want signal and don’t want to drive and sit at the gate every day? Then, book yourself accommodation or camping at Berg-n-Dal or Crocodile bridge. These two restcamps are situated close to the border of the park and I’ve always found that I have great cell phone data speeds at these camps.
Starlink
Starlink is a great option for internet access in the Kruger National Park. However, if you are a South African resident, Starlink is not available to us yet.
For international visitors, as long as you have roaming enabled, you will get great internet speeds in the park and throughout South Africa with your Starlink unit.
FAQ
What is the best cell phone provider for signal in the Kruger Park?
The best network is Vodacom, followed by MTN and then Cell C.
Which is the best restcamp for wifi?
The best restcamps for wifi based on our own tests are Olifants, Skukuza, Satara and Lower Sabie.
Which are the best restcamps for cellphone data?
Based on our tests, the best camps for cellphone data in the Kruger Park are Berg-n-Dal, Crocodile Bridge, Malelane Satellite Camp, Olifants and Skukuza.
Does Starlink work in the Kruger?
Yes, Starlink works very well in the Kruger National Park. While not available to South African residents, if you have Starlink in your own country and have roaming switched on, it will work throughout South Africa, including in the Kruger.
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